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Monday, February 27, 2017

How to become Happier #4 Use Your Strengths

Do you know your strengths?Do you use your strengths as much as you could?This happiness exercise works on the assumption that most of us could harness our strengths better.Step 1 ) Take the VIA Strengths Test

Feel energised

Feel its the real me

Enjoy using it

For example, suppose your strength is love of learning. When you learn something do you usually feel energised, enjoy it, and feel that it's the real you - if so, love of learning is a signature strength. On the other hand if you are good at learning, but learning bores you, or drains you, or is something you do to please others - then it's a strength, but not a signature strength.

James has a lifelong life of learning. He decides to watch a Ted Talk or listen
to a podcast every day.

Jan’s chosen
strength is being good at encouraging people. She decides to make a point of
every day aiming to encourage people she interacts with.

There are several strengths inventories available, the one to start with is the VIA Strengths inventory which you can take for free at http://www.authentichappiness.org. You will be given a report on your top 24 strengths in
order. Step 2) Identify your "Signature Strengths

When you have your report, you should reflect on which of your top strengths is a "signature strength". To do this ask yourself -"When I use this strength do I

Step 3) Use a Signature Strength in a new way

For the next
week pick one of your signature strengths that is not being used as much as it might be.
Make a point of using it in a way that
you would not have otherwise done every day.

Good luck, I hope you find that using a signature strength in a new way not only makes you happier, but also more effective. That's true of many of these happiness exercises.You can use the comments section to describe how you get along with this activity.